Everything about the French woman is simply “très belle”. Whether it is their flawless skin, gorgeous locks, or their simple timeless attire, everything they do seems to be infused with a certain sense of cool that we just can’t help but mimic here in America.  While a plane ticket into Charles de Gaulle Airport may not be in this season’s budget, we hope that sharing these tips about French beauty and skin care will educate and even entertain you for a short while.

While visiting Paris recently, I had the privilege of fully immersing into local life and culture, and it was simply divine. I was brought there by chance to do makeup for some very dear friends and clients. I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and explore a whole other level of health and beauty. Besides standing directly underneath the Eiffel Tower, and climbing the Arc de Triomphe, this trip was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I started each morning off with the locals at a café enjoying fresh squeezed juice, espresso and a tartine breakfast; which essentially is a thin baguette smeared with butter and the most scrumptious strawberry jam you will ever have in your entire life.

I think by now we all know that hydration and a good diet is an important part of having healthy luminous skin, which leads us right into the importance of the French diet. While roaming the side streets of Paris, I stumbled across a market that had everything a woman’s heart could ever desire. flowers, coffee, pastries, and vendors with fresh fruits, vegetables and of course wine and cheese. Despite eating all those colorful, delicate little macarons and treats, they tend to satisfy their appetite with unprocessed whole foods.

While exploring some of the local hot spots for facial treatments, I learned about a new style of facial massage catching on in the European skin care world called “Buccal technique massage”. This massage is done both on the outside of the mouth and on the outside of the cheeks. This new form of facial massage has reportedly resulted in relaxed skin and an enhancement of facial bone structure. Many facial treatments available were designed to be customizable for your individual needs and desires, and to make the skin appear more smooth, supple and hydrated. Many of the facial treatments and chemical peels available here at Connolly Dermatology can help to improve the overall tone, texture and appearance of the skin. We even offer a seasonal facial special; right now we are featuring our Naughty and Nice facial specials to welcome the Holiday Season, for only $65.00.

It came to my attention that many good skin care products could be found in the local corner pharmacy. There was always a knowledgeable, savvy woman ready to help behind the counter. I only speak a little bit of French, but we found a way to muddle through a conversation enough for me to find the goodies I was looking to bring home! There were a plethora of products that lined the walls ranging in price and quality. They appeared to have fewer ingredients, mostly derived from plants and other medical-grade ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, alpha hydroxyl acids and niacinamide (Connolly Skin Care Anti- aging $24). Many of these key ingredients can be found in the formulations created by Dr. Connolly, in his medical grade skin care line. Dr. Connolly’s skin care line is used in all of our facial treatments here in the Medical Spa. The line is available to our patients and friends in all of our offices and on our convenient e-store located at connollyskincare.com.

The French seem to keep their skin care regimen as simple as their coffee, believing that the key to great skin is consistency. Parisian women invest their time in monthly facial treatments with their favorite aesthetician. The relaxation and massage part of the facial treatments are highly valued in French beauty culture. Massage is known to stimulate facial muscles and blood flow, which can result in improved muscle tone and collagen production. While wandering the streets of the City of Lights I saw both professional and everyday women; I observed that women’s makeup was natural and subtle. There was a large focus on the effortless glow of the skin and groomed eyebrows. Once in a while, you would see a pop of lip color, and mascara on a woman. While freshening up in the ladies room you can see women spritzing their faces with mineral spring water, to rejuvenate their skin throughout the day.

My afternoon at the Galeries Lafayette was like a dream. Imagine 75,000 square feet of high-end French shopping and culinary bliss. This distinguished, chic department store featured top luxury brands of fragrance, skin care, and makeup amongst many other things. It was there that I got inspired and fell in love with beauty all over again.

Although there were endless things to see and learn while visiting Paris, I was fascinated by their simple, natural culture of beauty. After speaking with some of the locals I learned that time-honored skin care routines are passed down from generation to generation and are something to be cherished. In my professional opinion, as far as all things beauty and skin, I truly believe that the French have it right. I think that we can truly learn something from the simple way that they live and care for themselves. It can make all the difference in your life to practice a bit of self-care, whether it be a facial, massage or even practicing yoga or meditation. If we feel good on the inside, and truly care for ourselves, than I believe that we tend to exude beauty on the outside.

I will leave you with this French quote “Sois belle a ta facon” which means – Be beautiful in your own way.